The fallacy of this scheme became quickly apparent.
As the day dawned upon the town and the truth upon the citizens, his situation in a military point of view was already hopeless--eighteen men against perhaps 1000 adults, and these eighteen scattered in four or five different squads, without means of mutual support, communication, or even contingent orders! Gradually, as the startled citizens became certain of the insignificant numbers of the assailants, an irregular street-firing broke out between Brown's sentinels and individuals with firearms.

The alarm was carried to neighboring towns, and killed and wounded on both sides augmented the excitement.

Tradition rather than definite record asserts that some of Brown's lieutenants began to comprehend that they were in a trap, and advised him to retreat.

Nearly all his eulogists have assumed that such was his original plan, and his own subsequent excuses hint at this intention.

But the claim is clearly untenable.